9/11 and The Weight of Data

Almost every piece of data is tethered to something in the real world. When we work with numbers, we are often able (and willing) to ignore the real world objects and systems that these numbers represent.

In this presentation, Jer Thorp will discuss his work with names—designing an arrangement algorithm for the 9/11 Memorial in Manhattan. He’ll walk through collaborative processes, admit to a series of failures and ultimately show how humans and software can combine to solve extraordinary problems.